Equatorial Guinea concludes presidency of Security Council

The approval of the draft resolution to silence arms in 2020 took place on Wednesday 27th February, in the city of new York, prior to the transfer of the Presidency of the United Nations Security council to France, in joint presidency with Germany in March and April.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Simeon Oyono Esono, representing the Head of State, H. E. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, oversaw the final top level debate under Equatorial Guinea’s Presidency of the Security Council, on Silencing Arms on African for 2020; a session which began with the agreement being put to the vote, with the result of fifteen votes in favour and none against.

Oyono Esono, who was accompanied by the Equatorial Guinea Permanent representative before the United Nations, Anatolio Ndong Mba, and the deputies Job Obiang Esono Mbengono and Amparo Mele Colifa and various figures from our country’s diplomatic mission before the UN, invited the speakers to present their considerations in accordance with Security Council regulations.

When drawing up the declaration as President of the highest decision-making body, the Equatoguinean chancellor wished all those present good health from the head of State, H. E. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, and then welcomed the multilateral action through which Resolution 2457 was adopted, which is a testimony to the commitment and backing by the international community expressed through the council of efforts in Africa to obtain sustainable peace and stability.

This resolution, without a doubt, will contribute to the protection of peace and security on the African continent. We hope it equally marks a before and after in the future of Africa”, stressed the Foreign Minister.

Going further, the head of Equatoguinean diplomacy pointed out that small light weapons, including anti-personnel mines, represent a huge danger to human survival, as thousands of them still exist with their potential for use or proliferation. There is an urgent need for Africa: to accelerate the process of combating, preventing and eradicating the illicit trafficking of small light weapons in all forms, as it is well known that the greatest percentage of armed conflicts in the world are African”, said the Minister.

With respect to the aim on the table, Oyono Esono made it clear that Silencing Arms for 2020consisted in eliminating them completely in an effective, controllable, verifiable, transparent manner, through international, as well as regional and legal instruments.

He also reported that the African Union itself should be able to optimise the mechanisms and tools of preventive diplomacy it already possesses, including the Panel of the Wise and the Continental Early Warning System, and ensure an immediate response to any threat that may arise. For that reason he called on the international community, particularly the Africans themselves, to increase their efforts to help Africa to implement Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union, as ways towards sustainable economic development, in other words to begin to work on the creation on solid structures in matters of health, education, the economy, trade, peaceful inter-ethnic living and good governance.

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